2,729 related texts · 21 related myths · Page 56 of 57
That feeling, that ache of separation, is what this week’s portion of Vayikra Rabbah (Leviticus Rabbah) touches upon. It centers around a seemingly simple phrase in (Leviticus 16:2...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Rod and Serpent of Rabbis. The verse from Leviticus reminds us of our connections to the earth and the animals that sustain us. But what does that have to d...
The rabbis of old grappled with this question, especially concerning the laws around building altars for sacrifice outside the designated Temple in Jerusalem. This wasn't some free...
The Torah tackles this very question, and the answer is surprisingly nuanced. We find a fascinating passage in Vayikra Rabbah 23, which explores (Leviticus 18:3): “You shall not ac...
That feeling is surprisingly ancient. The Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) knew it well, wrestling with how to maintain Jewish identity in a world of compet...
We all do it. But have you ever wondered what it truly means to avert your gaze, to consciously choose kedushah (holiness), holiness? Rabbi Menashya, grandson of Rabbi Yehoshua ben...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Zion's Transgression. We find a fascinating passage in Vayikra Rabbah, a midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) collection focusing on the Book of Lev...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this very question. In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, they explore a fascinating connection between ho...
Sometimes, the answer lies in the most unexpected places, like, say, a close reading of the book of Ezekiel and a bit of ancient commentary. In Vayikra Rabbah 25, we find a fascina...
Rabbi Yosei of Milḥaya and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, quoting Rabbi Levi, paint a picture of King David's time. They speak of children so gifted in Torah that they could debate the...
For the sages, repeated words are clues that lead deeper into the verse. Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrash on the book of Leviticus, dedicates itself to uncovering these hidden layers. And...
If so, you're in good company. Jewish tradition teaches us that God has a special connection to the persecuted, the downtrodden, the ones who are constantly being pursued. It's a t...
It might seem random, but Jewish tradition offers a fascinating explanation, one rooted in rumor, reputation, and divine forgiveness. Our story begins with the prophet Hosea, who s...
It all starts with the verse in (Leviticus 22:29): “When you slaughter a thanks offering to the Lord, you shall slaughter it to garner favor for yourselves.” Rabbis Pinḥas, Levi, a...
The book of Vayikra Rabbah, a treasure trove of rabbinic interpretations on the book of Leviticus, dives deep into this very idea. It all starts with a quote from the prophet Jerem...
The verse from (Leviticus 23:24) sets the stage: "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first of the month, shall be a rest for you, a remembrance b...
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, quoting Rabbi Levi, starts us off with a rather blunt assessment of humanity, citing (Psalm 62:10): “People are nothingness; men are but deceit; they rise tog...
Our ancestors felt it too. to a fascinating little piece from Vayikra Rabbah, a Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) collection that unpacks the book of Leviticus. This par...
Our tradition sees it as a symbol, a prophecy even, about the future of the Jewish people. The Torah tells us, "Abraham lifted his eyes and saw that behold, there was a ram, after ...
In Jewish tradition, the number seven is definitely one of those numbers. It’s not just a random figure; it's woven into the very fabric of our understanding of the world and our r...
Take, for instance, the four species we use on Sukkot – the etrog (citron), the lulav (date palm frond), the hadass (myrtle), and the aravah (willow). They aren't just random plant...
It all begins with the verse, "Command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you pure virgin olive oil for the lighting, to kindle a lamp continually" (Leviticus 24:2). Th...
It all starts with the phrase "Command the children of Israel" – which, The first reading, sounds like a divine order. But the Rabbis, masters of unpacking layers of meaning, saw s...
In fact, it goes even deeper. Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) teachings on the Book of Leviticus, opens up this very idea. ...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this very question. In Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Leviticus, we find a fascinating discussion. Rabbi Ḥanina p...
The ancient rabbis grappled with this question, and their answers, preserved in texts like Vayikra Rabbah, are pretty . Vayikra Rabbah, a midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentar...
Take, for instance, the story in Vayikra Rabbah 31, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus. It focuses on Aaron, the High Priest, and his rol...
Vayikra Rabbah turns Shelomit's name into a clue for reading one of Leviticus's most charged episodes. The passage in (Leviticus 24:10-11) sets the stage: "The son of an Israelite ...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Israelite Women Guarded Their Virtue in Egypt. Rabbi Pinchas offers an interpretation: "A locked fountain – these are the virgins. A locked garden – these a...
Consider the difficult case of the mamzer. The mamzer, often translated as "illegitimate child," occupies a complicated space in Jewish law. And in Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of ...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw the world as a delicate balance, and they understood that even seemingly small acts of injustice could have enormous consequences. In Vay...
The ancient rabbis certainly did. They saw echoes of these struggles in the biblical text, particularly in the stories surrounding kings and their kingdoms. In Vayikra Rabbah, a co...
Jewish tradition definitely has something to say about that. It's not just about charity; it's about justice, divine presence, and the very fabric of our world. to a fascinating pa...
Sometimes, the answers we find are… well, unexpected. to a fascinating, and slightly unsettling, story from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Levitic...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Twenty-Four Curses Descend When You Ignore Tzedakah. In Rabbi Simon, in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, in Vayikra Rabbah 34, we can't afford to take l...
Rabbi Elazar, in Vayikra Rabbah 35, offers a powerful comparison. He says, "The way of the world is that a king issues a decree; if he wishes to fulfill it, he fulfills it, and if ...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Divine Statutes That Hold the Stars and Seas in Place. Not just any statutes. Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive c...
You're not alone. Our tradition recognizes this struggle, this internal tug-of-war. And it offers a powerful image to understand it. The text Specifically, it's from section 35. It...
Vayikra Rabbah turns to Rain, Torah, and Light as God's Greatest Gifts. Rabbi Yonatan, in this passage, identifies three core gifts: the Torah, the luminaries (sun, moon, and stars...
Vayikra Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Leviticus, gives us a glimpse into that idyllic vision. Specifically, it discusses the verse “I ...
Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, tackles this very question. And it does so with a story – a really compelling one. It starts with...
“They heard that I sigh; there is no comforter for me; all my enemies heard of my misfortune, were glad because You acted. May You bring the day that You proclaimed, and they will ...
“Lad and elder lay on the ground in the streets, my young women and my young men fell by the sword. You killed on the day of Your wrath, You slaughtered, had no compassion” (Lament...
“Pay them retribution, Lord, according to their handiwork” (Lamentations 3:64).“Pay them retribution” – Jeremiah said: “Pay them retribution.” Asaf said: “Pay our neighbors retribu...
“How has gold tarnished, the fine gold changed? The sacred stones are spilled at the head of every street” (Lamentations 4:1).“How has gold tarnished [yuam]?” Rabbi Shmuel said: Ho...
“The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world did not believe that an adversary and enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem” (Lamentations 4:12).“The kings of the e...
“It was due to the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst” (Lamentations 4:13).“It was due to the sins of her prophet...
“The young men carried the mill, and the lads stumbled on the wood” (Lamentations 5:13).“The young men carried the mill.” You find that there was no mill in Babylon. When Nebuchadn...
